About me

From the AVM SURVIVORS web site: "Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are defects of the circulatory system that are generally believed to arise during embryonic or fetal development or soon after birth. Although AVMs can develop in many different sites, those located in the brain or spinal cord can have especially widespread effects on the body".
I am currently undergoing embolizations with Dr. Wayne Yakes @ the Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, CO every 8 weeks! Our lives are either planning a procedure, having a procedure or recovering from a procedure! The trick lately seems to be to keep the "bleeds" under control! My husband Mark is also my caregiver! He has become an expert wound care therapist, not to mention all around bundle of being just exactly what I need to get through the day and this ordeal we call an AVM! I recently finished 10 years of Embolizations w/Dr. Yakes and am finally ready for my next stage - Debulking and reconstructive surgery w/Dr. Robinson in CO - he is a dentist and plastic surgeon! Best advice to an avm patient - Stay positive and surround yourself with supportive people! Lots of faith, prayer and love are all crucial too!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Hi! Here I am again so soon after I just blogged! I just wanted to go over my experience yesterday with you!

Went to wound care and Dr. Larkin started removing my dressing. She got to where the dressing was stuck on my skin and decided to ask Noel to come in for back up. Noel ended up taking the rest of the dressing off and then started cleaning up the wound. I had told Noel about how Dr. Zane had to cauterize the one area in my ear - and sure enough, when Noel was cleaning that same area .... it started bleeding! Right away I felt that blood go in my ear! Noel ended up having to put some pressure on the inside of my ear where the bleeding was coming from right inside my ear - ouch! Then Noel had to get some surgicel and put it on my ear to make sure that bleeding stopped! Gosh I'm tired of having these bleeds! I was @ wound care several hours before being able to get back to work! One of my co-workers noticed that I had blood on the back of my polo shirt - so I pulled out the extra shirt I carry in my tote bag and changed. That was my day! I just can't imagine the day all of this will be over with! I want this wound to heal already!

Wish me luck - I have wound care again tomorrow! Dr. Larkin said as long as I don't have a fever and continue to look well, then we can just do the wound care once a week! She knows that Mark takes great care of me and is excellent @ wound care, so she trusts we'll be going in the right direction! At least w/Dr. Larkin and Noel debriding my wound once a week, we should be in good shape!

Hi again!

Today is Wednesday and I went to wound care today w/absolutely NO BLEEDS! Noel removed the dressing, cleaned the area a bit and redressed it! Voila! Dr. Larkin was there and told me how the wound had already gotten smaller by reading me the first measurements she took of my wound when I first started and the size it is today! Mom had picked me up @ work and drove me to wound care, so I'm glad she was there to hear the good news! Here's hoping that this darned wound will close up soon! Dr. Larkin again commented on what a great job Mark had been doing w/the wound care all this time! Mark has been very patient with this patient! Right now Mark and Hanz are off for a walk - I've got a bum knee right now that isn't allowing me to tag along, darn!